Monday, March 1, 2010

Rushing things

Now as much as I want summer to get here, I think Wade has me beat. He's a total sun worshiper. Come summer time, give him sunshine and water and he's one happy camper. When I say water, I'm not talking about a glass of it. He loves the pool. He'll go out on the raft and fall asleep for hours if you let him. Although, since Duke shares his love of the pool, it's hard for him to get in there without being disturbed.
With all that being said, I really do think that he should at least wait until the snow melts.
 
This is Duke and Wade walking on top of the pool. He had just finished shoveling off the deck and decided to test the water, uh I mean ice. Duke doesn't pass up an opportunity to go in the pool so he followed. This summer I'll have to work on doing a video of Duke swimming and on his raft. (he has his own) He's hysterical.

On another note. A comment was left on my last post from Sandy questioning the use of Google reader. She mentioned that it defeated the purpose of "visiting" a blog. Well, maybe it does if that's the way you are using it. If you have a new post up, it will appear in my reader. I then click on the link to go to the blog itself. From there I read the post, leave my comment if I have one (which most of the time I do), do the drop if I remember and then return to reader and start over with the next blog. I don't see how that could possibly kill blogging or even mess with page rank. I'm still going to the blog. Nothing comes to my email box for reader either.  Not only do I visit but I leave a comment so they know I was there and read their post. If I didn't visit other  blogs, why would anyone want to visit mine? I would think that the people who are doing all of their reading directly from Google reader are more than likely people who aren't bloggers themselves. If you are a blogger then you already know that the only way to "Get known, is to Be known".  In other words you have to put yourself out there if you want people to know you are there to visit.
I tried to just use my blogger dashboard but that doesn't allow me to add blogs that aren't on blogspot. Using the reader is the easiest way I have found so far to keep track of my favorites.

28 comments:

Donna said...

That's SO true! I don't know about Google reader...never used it but I DO know that to make friends you have to BE a friend! And I'm ...yours!
(((HUG)))

Golden Woofs! SUGAR said...

Woof! Woof! SNOW ... I'm done with SNOW. YAP we just use Blogger's Dashboard. Ann, my mom is thinking to eliminate 'entrecard' ... when not sure. What's your thoughts on that. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

Sandee said...

I can't wait to see your summer pictures. Since we met during the foul weather and all I'll I've seen is snow. There really is a pool under there? Yikes.

You certainly have to be a friend to meet other friends. Lots of folks want you to visit your blog but never visit yours. It's sad and then they wonder why they don't keep or have readers.

You are using your reader the same way I do. I do go down the list once in a while to see who hasn't posted in a long time. Then I'll go check on them.

Have a terrific day. My best to Duke. I just love Duke. :)

Ann said...

Donna, I'm so glad you are too. I actually just started using reader and so far it seems to be working ok for me

Sgr I used to use the dashboard but there were too many blogs that are on wordpress or with their own domain and I can't follow those from the dashboard. As for EC I thought about getting rid of it but changed my mind because if I keep it there then new people will stumble across me. Just because I have it doesn't mean I have to go crazy with it.

Sandee Yes there is a pool under there....lol I was too chicken to walk out there, with my luck I would have fallen through
You are right about the visiting thing. There are several blog that I continue to follow even though they never come to mine or if they do they never comment. If it wasn't for the fact that I enjoy their posts I would probably quit visiting.

vickie said...

Hi Ann, my dd left today ... I'm catching up now.

Yikes, walking on the pool? Brave!! Not possible around here >:/

I agree about Google reader - I do like you, back & forth.

Can't wait to see Duke on his raft this summer!!! :D

thatdesigngal said...

Ah gosh, I can't wait for summer! This is silly!

You know, I held off on creating a blog for fear of putting myself out there too much, and now- I have "met" so many great people, I wouldn't have it any other way!

Lin said...

Doesn't that damage the liner if you walk on it?? I don't know.

I use a combination of ways to keep up with my favorite blogs now that I left EC. I have some in my reader, some in Blogger dashboard, and some in bookmarks. I like mixing it up and starting different places each day.

I have to say that being out of EC is liberating. I have keep my tried and true readers, but I don't have half of the work each day. I just have to work smart now to gain readership, not hard.

Bonehead said...

Can't wait for summer. This winter seems endless to me.

I use goggle reader much the same way. I always visit the blogs of my comment friends, but I also subscribe to blogs that I come across so that they're more organized and quicker to go through - if I find a few posts that I like or wish to comment on - then I visit the blog, eventually adding it my blog roll when we exchange comments. And, the blogs I visit most often, I add to my blog roll - often as a reminder to myself!

BeadedTail said...

I'm ready for summer too and of course can't wait to see Duke in his pool!

I have a list of Furiends on my blog that I visit whenever there's a new post and I always try to return comments on our posts. This time of year is really hard to keep up with it though but only 6 1/2 more weeks of tax season and I get my life back.

Nessa said...

oh my, the pool's under that snow?? That's a lot of shoveling to do...

Duke has a raft? I'd love to see him on it... can't wait :D

I use Google Reader to be alerted of new postings. If the post is interesting or there's something I wanna add/comment, I will go to the blog. I won't comment for the sake of commenting.

I value all comments in my blog.. even if it's just 'hi' :)

WillOaks Studio said...

Does this image mean your pool is full of ice? Won't that crack the concrete? I'm flummoxed...but anyway, about the reader...I use my blogger dashboard (and my blog roll) just to catch new titles as they go up and then pop in to see what's new (when I have time to web surf...some days, I just don't!) And about me stealing all the words from your mouth....well, that is really funny!! I love goofy coincidences like that! I can't wait to watch your dog swim--poor Dakota, she won't go near the water!

Unknown said...

Just hearing about your pool makes me long for summer. I surely do not like snow. Why do I live in Colorado then? Because my husband does and he refuses to move. I grew up in northern Wisconsin though, so it's really not THAT bad out here. The snow melts within a day or two of it falling. Where did you live again? What state anyway. I'm not trying to totally stalk you.

Unknown said...

I use Google Reader in exactly the same way. To me, it is just a very convenient way to keep up with the blogs I enjoy.

Grampy said...

A lot of mixed reactions about google reader. I use it. I also have a word document of blogs I have to visit. I may not leave a comment on your blog everyday but I do drop by.
Looks like you could do a little ice skating on the pool. Just waiting for spring just like everyone else. Winter please go away.

Jen said...

Woo, girl look at all that snow! Ugh :oP I am so NOT jealous! I'll probably never figure out all that page rank stuff - I would think, however, that even if you are subscribing to the posts via reader that it would still help boost the blog's ratings somehow. Otherwise, what would be the point in offering it? Duke looks adorable in his little winter duds (of course he looks adorable pretty much all the time though, doesn't he? :o)

Unknown said...

i don't know anything about google reader, i just visit my blog roll. i have found it much more enjoyable without the feeling of having to drop cards. i thank entrecard for giving me a way to meet so many wonderful people, but it just got to be too much.

have a great day...hugz!

Buggys said...

Yippee! Pool party at Ann's house. I'll bring the hot dogs.
I don't generally use google reader I stil do the visit, visit, comment, drop, visit, visit, drop!

Daisy said...

We use Google reader, too! Sadly, now that my Mommeh is working full time, we do not have time to visit and leave comments on every blog that we subscribe to. But at least we are able to see the posts and keep up with what's going on with everyone. We try to comment as much as we can.

Elisa said...

Thanks so much for stopping by and your kind words, we are missing my dad so much...

I love your snow picture, the foot steps in the snow, lovely shot!!!

Me-Me King said...

Wade is one brave man, I would never walk across a frozen pool, pond or lake for fear of breaking through the ice and not being found until the Spring thaw. Yikes!

Jude said...

Can't wait to see Duke on his raft. Thankfully we are going to have some 40 degree weather and Sunday 48 now if we can figure out how to remove all that snow behind the garage we could take a bike ride. No way would I be walking on top of a pool either, not with my luck.

Anonymous said...

Great photo! I use the google reader for my secondary list of blogs to read. My primary, read every day, blogs are in a bookmark folder. And yes when I read the ones from the reader I go directly to the blog so I can see everything on the blog...I have found some cool stuff lurking in people's sidebars.

Cruise Addict said...

I rarely use Google reader and I even have it set up on my iGoogle page. For some reason I always just go to the blog or website. I do have a running list of favorites I have been adding to when I come across a blog I like. this way I just go through my fav list and do it that way. Plus it's nice cuz they get a backlink.

As far as snow goes, we were very lucky this year in my part of the woods, we missed all of the big storms except one last week, but that was it. But I agree I am always ready for summer, just never seems to stay around long enough. The older you get the quicker summer disappears.

Joanne Olivieri said...

I just cannot stop laughing. Duke has his own raft? :D I have to see a video or at least just a photo.

To be honest I don't even know what the Google reader is. I'll have to check it out. I only use the adsense, blogger, analytics and site links.

Tes said...

The picture of Wade and Duke is soo cute! Like those two, I long for spring... my flip flops are begging to be released! Teehee.

I do not have a google reader, well, I do not know what it is, I have to look it up. But I agree with you, Ann, on coming out and reaching out. Blogging is friendship. I love comments, and so I leave some too.

Have a nice day, Ann!

Audrey said...

It is definitely a bit early to go swimming :)
Can't wait to see the pictures of Duke in the pool!

Ann said...

Vickie I read your post about your visit with your daughter sounded like a good week

Thatdesigngal I can't wait either. I was the same way about the blog but now I'm so glad I did start it

Lin well it probably could but if it does it's his fault not mine....lol

Bonehead it's endless here too

Beaded tail I can imagine how busy you must be right now and I'm sure the closer it gets to April the worse it gets

Nessa yes, Duke has his own raft, we got tired of sharing with him

Will Oaks I don't know how thick the ice is but it's at least thick enough to hold him. That was funny yesterday when I saw those two comments of yours. I used to have a chocolate lab that HATED water

Mee2 I'm in Pennsylvania. Not the worst state for snow but bad enough

FishHawk that's what I'm seeing so far. I've tried bookmarking but I found that to be a real pain

Grampy I really hadn't read anything about reader other than it was there.

Jen I don't understand all the technical stuff about blogs either I just have fun with the posting and visiting

PJ I let go of the addiction to EC but I keep it so new people can find me

Buggys well I don't mind throwing a pool party but I would rather wait until the water warms up :)

Daisy that's understandable. I know how tough it is sometimes getting it all in when your working too

Elisa you are very welcome. I can imagine. My father passed away almost 20 years ago and I still miss him

Me-Me brave or maybe nuts...lol

Jude he's hysterical but at times he gets annoying especially when you just want to sit and relax and enjoy the sun

Grace I don't check the sidebars nearly enough. I do occasionally but i should more often

Manoverboard I wish we would have missed most of the storms but no such luck

Poetic Shutterbug yes he has his own raft

Tes I'm ready for some warm weather and sunshine. This cold stuff is for the polar bears...lol

Audrey yes way too early

gayle said...

Love the pictures!! I am going to check out google reader.

Related Posts with Thumbnails